New Delhi: The Union Government on Wednesday informed Lok Sabha that significant vacancies continue to exist in India’s premier civil services, with more than 1,300 posts in the Indian Administrative Service and 505 posts in the Indian Police Service currently lying vacant.
In a written reply to Parliament, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh stated that while the sanctioned strength of IAS officers stands at 6,877, only 5,577 officers are presently in position. In the IPS, against an approved cadre strength of 5,099 officers, only 4,594 officers are currently serving.
The figures highlight the continuing manpower gap across top administrative and policing structures despite regular annual recruitment.
IAS Recruitment Continuing Annually Through UPSC
The minister clarified that recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service is being carried out continuously through the civil services examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission.
He said that since 2012, 180 candidates have been inducted into IAS every year through the examination process in accordance with reservation norms laid down by the government.
Among these seats, four per cent are reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities as part of the government’s inclusion framework.
According to the minister, vacancy calculations are reviewed regularly and all notified vacancies are filled through the established recruitment process.
Cadre-Wise Data Shows Large Gaps Across Major States
The cadre-wise figures reveal that several large states continue to operate below sanctioned officer strength.
Uttar Pradesh has the highest sanctioned IAS strength at 652, but only 571 officers are in position, leaving 81 vacancies. In IPS, the state has 541 sanctioned posts and 510 officers currently serving.
Madhya Pradesh has 459 sanctioned IAS posts, with 391 officers in position, leaving 68 vacancies. In IPS, the state has 319 sanctioned posts against 271 officers in position.
Maharashtra has 435 sanctioned IAS posts and 359 officers currently serving, while IPS figures stand at 329 sanctioned posts and 306 officers in position.
Bihar has 359 sanctioned IAS posts with 303 officers serving, while IPS numbers show near-full occupancy with 241 officers against 242 sanctioned posts.
Tamil Nadu has 394 sanctioned IAS posts and 343 officers serving, while IPS has 242 officers against a sanctioned strength of 276.
The AGMUT cadre—covering Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories—also shows substantial gaps, with 542 sanctioned IAS posts but only 406 officers in position.
IAS Recruitment Fixed at 180 Candidates Per Year Since 2012
The government clarified that recruitment to the IAS is conducted through the Civil Services Examination by Union Public Service Commission.
A total of 180 candidates have been inducted annually into the IAS through each Civil Services Examination cycle since 2012.
Out of these 180 seats, four per cent are reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), in line with reservation policy.
The minister stated that vacancies are assessed regularly and all advertised IAS vacancies are filled while following reservation guidelines.
Government Says No Backlog Vacancies in IAS or IPS
Despite the existing shortage, the government informed Parliament that there are currently no backlog vacancies in either the IAS or IPS as of January 1, 2025.
The minister said all vacancies notified for recruitment have been filled in accordance with reservation policies, indicating that the shortage reflects cadre expansion, retirements, promotions and service requirements rather than pending recruitment backlog.
This means that while sanctioned strength remains higher than current serving strength, available annual vacancies are being processed through normal recruitment cycles.
Reservation-Based Recruitment Figures Shared for Last Five Years
Providing category-wise recruitment data for the past five years, Jitendra Singh stated that in the IAS:
- 245 candidates from Other Backward Classes (OBC) were inducted
- 135 candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC) joined
- 67 candidates from Scheduled Tribes (ST) entered service
For the Indian Police Service during the same period:
- 255 OBC candidates were recruited
- 141 SC candidates joined
- 71 ST candidates entered service
These numbers reflect continued adherence to constitutionally mandated reservation provisions in elite civil services recruitment.
IPS Also Faces Significant Cadre Pressure
The data also points to sustained manpower pressure within the IPS.
With 4,594 officers currently serving against a sanctioned strength of 5,099, the service is operating with 505 vacant posts nationwide.
This shortage often affects postings in states, deputation to central agencies, leadership roles in districts, and specialised policing assignments.
The IPS vacancy issue has remained a recurring concern due to increasing policing demands and expanding security responsibilities.
Indian Forest Service Also Facing Officer Shortage
In a separate parliamentary response, the minister said the Indian Forest Service is also experiencing a major shortage.
According to the figures placed before Parliament, 1,029 posts are vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 3,193 officers.
The shortage in the forest service comes at a time when environmental regulation, forest protection, wildlife management and climate-linked administrative responsibilities are expanding across states.
Recruitment Based on Administrative Need and Cadre Management
The minister reiterated that recruitment to all All India Services is a continuous annual process determined by several factors, including:
- administrative requirements
- cadre management needs
- retirement projections
- promotion avenues
- state cadre demands
He said vacancy determination is not static and changes regularly based on service dynamics.
Vacancy Data Maintained by Individual Ministries
The government also clarified that sanctioned strength and vacancy data across ministries and departments are maintained separately by respective departments.
These figures are published annually in the reports of the Pay Research Unit under the Department of Expenditure.
This provides the official basis for manpower planning across central services.
Government Highlights Rozgar Mela Recruitment Drive
The minister added that the government is pursuing time-bound filling of vacancies through multiple mechanisms, including large-scale recruitment efforts under the Rozgar Mela.
Under this initiative, several lakh appointment letters have been distributed since October 2022 across departments and services.
The government has positioned the programme as part of its larger employment generation and public sector staffing effort.
